APT ICT Development Programme for Supporting ICT Pilot Projects in Rural Areas 2007, 1/45 “Pilot Study to Support Rural Education by Wireless link”
APT ICT Development Programme for Supporting ICT Pilot Projects in Rural Areas 2007
“Pilot Study to Support Rural Education by Wireless link”
Final Report
September, 2008
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Index Chapter Page
Acronyms------3 1. Outline of the Project------4 1.1. Executive Summary 4 1.2. Partner Organizations/Institution 10 1.3. Project Committee 10
2. Final Report for “System Construction”------12
3. Final Report for “Effects of ICT in Education”------23
4. Financial Report------46
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Acronyms
AP Access Point APT The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity ICT Information and Communication Technology MICT Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (Thailand) NTT Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation NTT-AT NTT Advanced Technology Corporation UNINET The Inter University Network Project (UniNet) TCU Thailand Cyber University WALAILAK Walailak University Wifi a wireless technology brand owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance intended to improve the interoperability of wireless local area network products based on the IEEE 802.11 standards Benjamarachutit Benjamarachutit Nakhon Si Thammarat Secondary School Chulabhorn Princess Chulabhorn's College Nakhon Si Thammarat
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1. Outline of the Project
1.1. Executive Summary
1.1.1. Objectives of the Project
This pilot project challenges to examine the effects of the long WiFi wireless link for south rural region in Thailand, and to promote ICT in education of rural schools. In Thailand, despite beneficial geographical location and potential of human capital, it has been difficult to cultivate the southern areas in terms of ICT. So far the rural educational institutions have struggled to enhance ICT in education; local network infrastructure is still unavailable because of dismal rural security and hesitation to investment of private firms. Then, MICT decided to examine beneficial wireless connection to provide ICT services and education by setting up the regional core center in Walailak University that two hops away from the nationwide university network (UniNet, see Fig.1 below Walailuk University connect to Prince Songkha University which have directly link to UniNet) and try to study indispensable know- how of long wireless network technologies and available educational applications to educational institutions in the region.
Fig 1: Network of UniNet (Walailak University is shown as WU)
The Inter University Network Project (UniNet) and Thailand Cyber University (TCU) also intended to provide their variety of academic services to pilot sites, but all the services under the Ministry of Education are structured by leased lines, then they could not plan any possible measures for this area. Thus, in this pilot study trial, we intend not only to install long WiFi technology, but also to provide concrete services and learning achievements by ICT on pilot schools. This also means that we are challenging to achieve equally access chances and services of ICT in the southern region of Thailand. In addition, we have plans to develop specific educational cares in terms of ICT education by designing courses with e-Learning and video conference. Here, we will develop deliberate actions of offering courses by multi layered cares of regional, national, and international assistance (see Fig. 2 below).Summarizing a plan of this pilot study, this will be
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proactive case study for other rural educational institutions located in other rural areas of Deep South in Thailand as well, and will show a concrete countermeasure for the rural isolation with comprehensive commitments.
Fig. 2: Overall Project Outline
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1.1.2. Project Site
Walailak University
Benjamarachutit school Chulabhorn College
Fig. 3: Nakorn Si Thammarat Province (show in red color)
Fig. 4: Walailak University at Tha Sala District (red circle)
The project site is located in Nakorn Si Thammarat Province in the southern part of Thailand. Walailak University, the main university in the province, will be the host university for the Wireless Link. Princess Chulabhorn's College Nakhon Si Thammarat and Benjamarachutit Nakhon Si Thammarat School will be the remote site of this pilot study.
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1.1.3. System Outline 1.1.3.1 Network Infrastructure
Walailak University Network Infrastructure
155 Mbps
Walailak U. 34 Mbps Prince Sonkla U.
Fig 5. Show computer network between UniNet and Walailak University
Walailak University link to UniNet via Prince Songkla University. The link between Walailak University and UniNet is 34 Mbps and the link between Prince Songkla University and UniNet is 155 Mbps (which will be upgraded to 1 Gbps at mid of 2008)
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Princess Chulabhorn's College Nakhon Si Thammarat Network Infrastructure
Fig 6. Show Network Infrastructure of Princess Chulabhorn's College Nakhon Si Thammarat
Princess Chulabhorn's College Nakhon Si Thammarat have 2 Mbps connection to Poll of Princess Chulabhorn share network, which have 25 Mbps bandwidth connect to Internet via TOT Internet (Private internet provider company)
1.1.3.2 Applications (regional and national layer)
1. Internet service in pilot community colleges 2. Qualified and secured video conference session meetings among regional core and sites by IPv6 3. Connection to Nationwide UniNet service (e.g. video conference to all universities), and TCU services (e.g. e-learning, e-library, e-students’ community, e-administration) 4. Provision of specially designed Distance Education courses to receiving colleges/school via video conference and/or e-learning from capital, regional core center, and the center in Japan.
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1.1.3.3 System Configuration
The system configuration is shown in the Figure
1.2. Partner Organizations/Institutions 1.2.1 Project Owners
· MICT (Ministry of Communication and Information Technology) MICT is primary governmental organization and regulatory body in the field of telecommunications and ICT in Thailand. The owner of this project is the ICT Usage Promotion and Development Bureau under MICT. The ICT Usage Promotion and Development Bureau is the center to coordinate between and among central and local governmental organizations and educational institutes in Thailand.
· TCU (Thailand Cyber University Project) TCU is the project under The Commission on Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Thailand. TCU is a knowledge and education hub, using UNINET and the latest technologies to provide further education for all, for both formal and informal education. TCU will increase the number of people who can access higher education, gaining knowledge at their convenience, irrespective of time or location. TCU have a large digital learning resources archive hosting at http://www.thaicyberu.go.th. TCU will provide learning resources, online courses, and support and take care of computer server, LMS (Learning Management System) and other software that will be used in this pilot study.
· UNINET (Inter University Network Project) UNINET is the project under The Commission on Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Thailand. UNINET is the government organization that established inter- university computer network for all public universities in Thailand. The educational network and its coordinating system which connects all educational institutions, serves everyone by creating a channel for communicating educational information. The network is very convenient, economical and beneficial. The capacity of UniNet’s backbone is sufficient to connect higher educational institutions. At present, there are more than 176 higher educational institutions connecting to the educational network. UNINET will provide and support the backbone network between TCU and Walailak University during this pilot study.
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· NTT-AT (NTT Advanced Technology) NTT-AT is one of NTT’s group companies, conducting research and consulting services, sales of new products, and system integration services based on state-of-the- art technologies both in Japan and overseas.
· MITSUBISHI CABLE INDUSTRIES,LTD MITSUBISHI CABLE INDUSTRIES,LTD is a major private company providing network cabling and relate supply of electronic part that will be used in this pilot study.
1.2.2 Supporting Organizations
· Walailak University Walailak University is the big public university in Nakorn Si Thammarat province. Walailak University have a well established network infrastructure and a leased line connect to UNINET via Prince Songkla University. The current bandwidth connections to Prince Songkla University is 34 Mbps and share the 155 Mbps network bandwidth from Songkla University to UNINET, which will be upgraded to 1 GB at the middle of this year.
· Benjamarachutit Nakhon Si Thammarat School Benjamarachutit Nakhon Si Thammarat School is one of the famous secondary schools in Nakorn Si Thammarat province. Benjamarachutit have strong human resources and also conducted many joint academic programs with Walailak University that will benefit from the trial and establishment of the long distance wireless network of this pilot project. This school will be the first remote site of the pilot study.
· Princess Chulabhorn's College Nakhon Si Thammarat Princess Chulabhorn’s College Nakhon Si Thammarat is one of the Ministry of Education’s model schools for science technology area. Almost all 100 percent of student from this school could pass entrance examination to further their education in the university. This school has strong human resources and also conducted many joint academic programs with Walailak University that will benefit from the trial and establishment of the long distance wireless network of this pilot project. This school will be the second remote site of the pilot study.
1.3 Project Committee
The Ministry of Information and Communication (Thailand) have set up an ad- hoc committee to support and coordinate the project. The committees are 1. Dr. Ajin Jirachiefpattana Chair person 2. Asst. Prof. Supannee Sombuntham Vice-chair person 3. Asst. Prof. Dr. Panjai Tantatsanawong committee 4. Asst. Prof. Dr. Anuchai Theeraroungchai committee 5. Mrs. Nontapabha Srinont committee 6. Mr.. Kritpong Rimcharoenpak committee 7. Mrs.Chaimaiporn Pongpayuha committee 8. Ms. Rungthip Sripetchdee committee 9. Mrs.Sompong Sumanotayan committee 10. Mr. Pathompong Kaochan committee 11. Mr.Kongtam Mitdamrong committee
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1.4 Result
The system construction finished completely and the signal was test and meet the quality level.
The study of education through the distance wireless connection found that It needs at least 350Kbps for one video streaming. Then in this conference configuration, we need at least 1Mbps continuous bandwidth during the training. At “before inquiry study”, we confirmed that it is possible to maintain more than 3Mbps continuous bandwidth to Japan. Although there was strong squall during Web conference, there is no substantial interference during the training
Usage of Internet of students in schools was increased significantly after broadband installation from 2.8 hours/week to 4.0 hours/week. This effect was mainly because of expansion of ICT in lessons, and overt change was seen in mainly because of expansion of ICT in lessons
On the other side, students’ experience to attend e-Learning lesson was stable (before 77%, after 79%). However, we could confirmed from QLQ (Qualitative questionnaire) that usage of e-Learning had been expanded to e-Learning in a classroom lesson (before 20%, after 53%) and use e-learning of other school (before 3%, after 27%). (Related subjects were Science and Foreign Language.)
Evaluation of students for effects on e-Learning was stable between before and after, and both showed “rather strong effect.” As variety of factors to evaluate effects of e-Learning, students showed identical changes in evaluation points.
Change of Access Web 2.0, the author found from QLQ that student’s favorite website usage was changes significantly especially in MySpace, WIkipedia, Site of Tags (e.g. de.icio.us, dig), Site for children, Blog site, Q& A site, Photo sharing site that reflect the changing pattern of use to web 2.0.
Effect of learning and Communication style in life also study from this project and show the interesting results.
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APT ICT Development Programme for Supporting ICT Pilot Projects in Rural Areas 2007
“Pilot Study to Support Rural Education by Wireless link”
Final Report for “System Construction”
September, 2008
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1. Introduction
In order to perform education equivalent to a city also in the school by which an advanced educational opportunity is not got by rural area, Thailand Cyber University Project is working.
This time, the actual proof experiment of the distant education network using the long-distance wireless LAN which set Walailak University to center was conducted gaining support of APT.
The field survey was carried out in November, 2007. Moreover, the training member was invited to Japan in February, 2008, and a system design and technical training were performed.
Equipments were sent to Thailand from Japan in March, 2008, and system construction was performed.
In Mongolia, the checks of long-term operation in dryness and low- temperature environment were the main purposes.
We checked the practicality in environment hot and humid in Thailand. This is a system construction debrief report in a series of work.
2. Whole System Outline
This system consists of long-distance wireless LAN and a remote TV meeting system. The outline of the built system is figure 1.
figure 1 System configuration
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3. Field Survey (Advance preparations work check)
(1) Walailak University There were no advance preparations work ther. We performed the field survey about the mounting arrangement for installing antenna to the tower.
(2) Benjamarachutit Secondary School The height of the tower of the gymnasium roof was added to 40m from 25m. Reinforcement of the branch line was also carried out. We decided the route which constructs UTP from Antenna to a gymnasium office.
It was about 250m away from a gymnasium office to PC classroom. The outdoor optical cable in the meantime was constructed as our request. We attached media converter to the optical cable, carried out the communication test, and checked normality. In the PC classroom, we connected PC and checked normality.
(3) Chulabhorn's Secondary School
The 40m tower was built and required ground height was secured. The optical cable was constructed from the tower to the server room those with 150m.
We attached media converter to both ends, and carried out the communication test for checking normality.
All of the expenses of these advance preparations were performed at the burden by the side of a school, and it was being showed that the expectation for this project was great.
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4. Equipments Transportation
All equipments reached Walailak University. We checked equipments for breakage and confirmed that there was no problem.
Project equipments were handed over from the Japan side to Walailak University.
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5. System Temporary Assembly We assembled all the equipments to the system, and confirmed the parameter according to the address plan determined beforehand.
6. Construction method explanation to construction contractor
We hired the specialists of height work, and explained the construction method to them. Specifically: Palaboric-antenna, Co-axial cable, Out-door accommodation box, and UTP-cable.
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7. Construction work
(1) Walailak University Since they were the specialists of radio construction, work was able to be done even if we did not perform detailed workmanship instruction. Work of fixation to the tower of the iron bar for Antenna attachment took about 2 hours.
Attachment of Antenna and an accommodation box went smoothly and all the work was ended by the evening. Then, we checked that all the systems of Walailak were operating normally. And this system was connected to the UniNet using a router
(2) Benjamarachutit Secondary School
We installed two Antenna(s) and two accommodation boxes in the 25m tower installed in the gymnasium roof. To the management office about 50m away from there, we wired UTP-cable. This high school is also a relay place to following Chulabhorn's Secondary School. Since the direction of Antenna was exact, connection of Walailak University and Benjamarachutit Secondary School (about 30km) was checked with no adjustment. Antenna for Benjamarachutit was also installed and we checked that the electric wave was transmitted normally.
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(3) Chulabhorn Secondary School
We attached of Antenna, accommodation box, and UTP-cable to a 40m steel tower. We connected a media converter to Optical-fiber cable, and the system completed. We checked the connection of Benjamarachutit Secondary School.
We did the optimal channel selection test between Walailak University and Chulabhorn Secondary School. We solved the problem and the whole system was completed.
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8. Channel Selection Setup
(1) Walailak-Benjamarachutit The technology used for long-distance wireless LAN was standardized as an IEEE802.11g system, and many systems were introduced also in Nakon Shi Thammarat.
Since these were installed independently, they may interfere mutually depending on channel to be used, and may affect this system. For this reason, we measured RSSI and throughput in order to select optimal channel.
Table RSSI and throughput for every channel Ch RSSI #1 #1 #2 #2 Wa/Ben throughput throughput throughput throughput Ave. Min. Ave. Ave. 1 18/21 6.3Mbps 1.7Mbps 5.3Mbps 2.3Mbps 2 18/21 4.9Mbps 4.9Mbps 3 23/22 7.9Mbps 5.5Mbps 7.1Mbps 5.3Mbps 4 21/22 7.4Mbps 5.4Mbps 5 24/23 7.1Mbps 5.4Mbps 6 23/23 6.3Mbps 5.4Mbps 7 25/22 6.6Mbps 5.4Mbps 8 21/22 6.7Mbps 5.2Mbps 9 23/23 7.2Mbps 3.1Mbps 10 22/23 6.9Mbps 4.3Mbps 11 22/20 7.2Mbps 5.3Mbps 12 23/21 6.9Mbps 5.1Mbps 13 24/22 6.0Mbps 5.3Mbps 7.6Mbps 5.8Mbps
From this measurement result, we selected 13 ch between Walailak University and Benjamarachutit Secondary School.
(2) Benjamarachutit- Chulabhorn
As a result of measuring by 6ch of initial establishment, RSSI was 24/21 and throughput(s) were an average of 9.2 Mbps and the minimum. It is 8.2Mbps. From this measurement result, we selected 6ch between Benjamarachutit Secondary School and Chulabhorn Secondary School.
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9. Completion system configuration 9.1 Throughput for Every Section
We measured throughput in each section.
Table Measurement result Zone throughput Walailak-Benjamarachutit(23km) 7.5Mbps Benjamarachutit- Chulabhorn (15km) 10Mbps Walailak-Chulabhorn (38km) 6.1Mbps *1 throughput transmits a mass file and measures the throughput.
9.2 Throughput with Remote Place
We connected with Bangkok and Japan, and measured throughput. It is assumed that this data is sharply changed by a measurement date, time, etc.
Table Data transfer rate measurement result (maximum: Mbps) Destination School Download Upload Japan Benjamarachutit 0.9 0.2 TCU Benjamarachutit 3.6 1.6 Bangkok/ADSL Benjamarachutit 6.6 3.1 Japan Chulabhorn 0.4 0.2 TCU Chulabhorn 4 1.5 Bangkok/ADSL Chulabhorn 7.5 2.9
The maximum of download was 7.5Mbps as a result of measuring line speed from Chulabhorn's Secondary School at the Internet speed measurement site in Bangkok.
If it is this speed, all the contents can be used smoothly. The result of line speed from Chulabhorn's Secondary School at the Internet speed measurement site in Japan was 0.4 Mbps. Some use restrictions may come out in use of image contents.
10. MeetingPlaza Server Installation (Bangkok)
The MeetingPlaza server was installed in Thailand Cyber University Project Center of Bangkok as planned. The parameter for installation was set to the server at the Japanese shipment time, and it had been connected to UniNet.
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The configuration and specification of MeetingPlaza installation server are 1. Host Name : Mps 2. Domain Name : thaicyberu.go.th 3. IP Address : 192.168.4.64 (202.29.13.64) 4. Subnet Mask : 255.255.255.0 5. Gateway : 192.168.4.1 6. Specification Server : 6.1. Brand : Dell 6.2. Model : PowerEdge 840 6.3. Bios Revision : A05 6.4. CPU : Intel Xeon 1.86 GHz Dual-Core Processor 6.5. Front Size Bus : 1066 MHz 6.6. L2 Cache : 2 MB 6.7. Memory : 2048 MB ECC DDR2 6.8. Video Memory : 16 MB 6.9. Hard Disk : SAS (Serial Attach SCSI) 148 GB 10000 rpm (Round Per Minute) 6.10. CD-ROM 6.11. NIC (Network Interface Card) : Broadcom NetXtreme Ethernet Gigabit 7. OS : RedHat Enterprise Linux ES4 (Update 5) 8. License Meeting Plaza : 16 Licenses (Concurrent) 9. URL for Meeting Plaza System : http://www.mps.thaicyberu.go.th/mpcontents/index-e.html
11. MeetingPlaza Client Setup
We use MeetingPlaza and it connects to Walailak University- Benjamarachutit Secondary School- Chulabhorn's Secondary School via UniNet. Distant education is carried out.
In the examination, it connected with the system from PC client of two or more sites including Bangkok.
Quality of image and the performance were not able to be obtained at the beginning.
However, we changed into the state which can be used for distant education by optimization of the client side parameter. We checked that functions, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and a white board, were also operating satisfactorily.
12. Whole Meeting Plaza system operation check
In actual distant education, the 1:1 connection by the teacher of Bangkok and the secondary school is common.
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Then, when we did the communication test, the image and the sound have been transmitted and received in the natural form. The bandwidth which is needed for this system is 1 or less Mbps, and is satisfactory to real operation.
13. Conclusion
The distant education system using long-distance wireless LAN was built, and various examinations were carried out. The result checked that this system had sufficient function required for distant education.
Using this system, the distant education technology in Thailand is established and it is expected that the distant education in rural area will be promoted.
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APT ICT Development Programme for Supporting ICT Pilot Projects in Rural Areas 2007
“Pilot Study to Support Rural Education by Wireless link”
Final Report for “Effects of ICT in Education”
September, 2008
YOSHIDA Masami Advisor of Thailand Cyber University Project (TCU), Commission on Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Thailand
Professor of Faculty of Education, Graduate School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Chiba University, Japan
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DIFFUSION OF VARIOUS BROADBAND
There are various access speeds defined for broadband. So far, the OECD report showed the boundary of broadband as download speeds equal to 256 Kbps (OECD, 2006), and US FCC currently defines broadband as anything above 768 Kbps (Patel, 2008).
In Japan, broadband is recognized by twofold definition; “high-speed network” which seamlessly enables to download music data and “super-high speed network” which enables to download movie data smoothly through FTTH (MIC, 2005). As an aspect of emerging progressive broadband, the Next Generation Network (NGN) is now disseminating. This is a packet-based network able to provide services that include all information and services, such as data, phone, TV and Internet, and able to make use of multiple broadband. Therefore, the term "all-IP" is also sometimes used to describe the transformation towards NGN. This NGN has comprehensive security architecture and capabilities with end-to-end QoS as well. Here, complicated VPN does not need any longer. Besides, NGN has designed and deployed traffic control to handle the demands and requirements of users (ITU-T, 2001).
Figure 1 shows diffusion data of Internet in countries by access methods. However, growing cyberspace and novel developed services via online required strong dependence on network speed and stability. Then, the rise in penetration rates has been paralleled further by an increased interest and demand for broadband-enabled and supported services.
Figure 1: Variety of Internet Penetration (applied from OECD, 2007)
The bursting of broadband marked transformation of web concept to Web 2.0. In the article of O’Reilly (O'Reilly, 2005) outlined cues of Web 2.0 that were relevant to education below.
· wikis · blogging · user process oriented rich web services · participation · tagging (folksonomy) · content syndication
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Thus, the principle of Web2.0 closely related to technology-enabled learning activities. For instance, about Google, the value of the software is proportional to the scale and dynamism of the data. And, Web2.0 embraced the power of the web to harness intelligence.
Up to now, the web was the excellent tool for transfer information without any complexity of knowledge of networking. But unfortunately, limited network speed, services and “minimum, essential, and common” information selection just for subject area knowledge had brought the strong brief into schools that web was the transferable fixed textbook (Yoshida, 2007). However, recent growing user oriented activities sprouted enormous resources in cyberspace, and it reveals some directions by fractionating people not only for accessing information, but also for accessing cyber-society or collective Intelligence.
In fact, diffusion rate of PC increased and PC per student ratio is improved around 5-15 even in secondary schools of most countries. Although it is often declared that the larger bandwidth of Internet is better, limited studies have conducted to summarize transformed aspects of education under broadband.
Then, the purpose of final study is to argue;
· adoption between transformation gaps of broadband services and school education with reflecting changes of pedagogical principle
· strategies to introduce school education into broadband supported education
Both above purposes have same implication that a school should explore activities over the existing framework in terms of management and subject curriculum. Then, the author discusses mainly about required externalities.
On the other side, as a common issue in South-East Asian countries, affordable broadband access was in a lag in rural areas, and it has persistently been characterized by education and adoption of innovations inequalities. The recent study concluded that teachers can not show the potential in their classrooms without adequate access to broadband (Henke, 2007), then the issue is especially to be entailed.
1. TRANSFORMATION OF TARGETS IN EDUCATION
The adoption of broadband in the rural area presents something of a paradox. Even where access is available, adoption has lagged behind that in urban areas (Bell et al., 2004). In addition, surprisingly, young students are so stubborn, more than elders. Actually, they already know that they have unknown knowledge outside a classroom. However, the education aimed to merely acquire subject area knowledge, so students unconsciously selected preferable behavior in a class. Students behaved to skim instructing facts, and they behaved to resist uncovered information in a subject area. Then
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superficially, all facts are packed inside a classroom (Yoshida, 2006). Comprehensive views were involuntarily prohibited. Thus, without any consideration of new ways of education, it is not so easy for students to get out from a routine lesson conceptually.
The author summarized changes of Internet and emerging new ways of education in Table 1.
1.1. EDUCATION UNDER NARROWBAND
Possible online resources were not too much different from textbooks. Student red the text and looked at some pictures or charts to understand the content (Buchanan, 2003).
1.2. EDUCATION UNDER BROADBAND
Recent pedagogical theory, such as constructivist theory, introduced more student centered education. Here, students should construct their new knowledge by incorporating their prior knowledge depending on their motives and intentions. Learning is a way of interacting with the world, and is personally integrated and critically evaluated (Watts and Lloyd, 2004). Here, multimedia capability is particularly important since schools have recognized different learning styles and multiple intelligence (Buchanan, 2003). Then, the following externalities should be introduced to transform into this stage.
· Interoperability: sharable education data (e.g. SCORM), open LMS (e.g. Moodle), sharable resource across educational institutions (e.g. learning repository) · Multimedia capability: audio&video, interactivity (e.g. Web conference), flexible access (T3 and more access speed) · Pedagogical change: outcome oriented (e.g. portfolio), specific knowledge (e.g. web inquiry), tutoring (e.g. a subject area expert), content (e.g. more strong relations with social content in cyberspace), resonance (meaningful communication)
Table 1: Changes of Network and Emerging New Ways of Education
Here, online education intends totally to include worldwide knowledge. It means that education is transformed from content oriented to learner oriented
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environment (see Figure 2). It also needs to introduce a new way of evaluating learners’ activities except for conventional examination. Developed rich information environment put stress on concept acquisition than knowledge acquisition.
Figure 2: Closed and Open Online Education System (cited from Yoshida, 2007)
1.3. EDUCATION UNDER NGN
NGN provides comprehensive media communication with QoS, and is expected to deploy Web 3.0 in its Internet. And, school data include both education and management will be stored even in outside a school as well. Difference between emerging Web 3.0 and former webs are seen on strong empowering individuals to compete as never before (Ruth and Pizzato, 2007).
To leap into this stage, the following externalities would be introduced.
· Distributed database: SaaS, share overall school data via open interface, scalability · Socio-cyber education: learning cyber society, moral education, extremely personalized cyber activities · Mobile access: by variety of media · Recommendation and personalization: evolutional path through artificial intelligence, metadata and semantic web, arranged data by implication, content aggregator, Podcast, markup documentation, from retrieval to interpretation or evaluation of reasoning
Initial services will be seen in school management (Hayashi, 2008), but soon other education service will disseminate, such as distance education by SaaS LMS or self-regulated learning. Here, smooth and versatile access through ubiquitous media will be used, while teachers and students are imposed personal responsibility against activities in the cyberspace.
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Summarizing these three transformations, there is a clear direction in web utilization from delivery to communication, and then personalization.
2. CHALLENGE IN RURAL
Internet penetration has grown even in rural areas, but the gap between rural and urban schools has remained constant over time. A portion of rural Internet users depend on Internet connections at schools other than home. But, they pursue many of the same online activities as urban students (Bell et al., 2004).
2.1. E-RATE
In US, the ADS (America's Digital Schools) national survey of school districts found that external bandwidth to the Internet averages 2.9 Kbps per student in 2006. School in districts said they would grow this to 9.57 Kbps per student by 2011, but calculations by ADS 2006 team suggest that even this expansion will fall far short of the actual need, approximately 40 K bps per students (Greaves, 2006). Here, an implication of student centered view was appeared, that was, bandwidth per students, but not per school. For instance, a school with 2,000 students, 80 Mbps connection is needed. Thus, recognition of infrastructure is also transformed to personal and cost effective view (Table 2).
Table 2: Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Broadband Rankings (cited from Atkinson, 2007)
(PPP: per capita penetration)
As a measure, E-rate (educational rate) was designed to provide discounts on a wide variety of telecommunication, Internet access and internal connection products and services (Hudson, 2004). Here, applicable discount rate (20- 90%) is based on school’s economical need and whether it is located in an urban or rural area. FCC (Federal Communications Commission) adopted as a proxy the percentage of students who are eligible for free or reduced-priced lunches under the National School Lunch Program.
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Other movement is seen as flat priced broadband. This enhances subscriptions of household and eligible price.
2.2. EXTERNALITIES
In fact, price of broadband is different from other unregulated media products, and it has the significant positive externalities generated by its adoption. The notion of externalities is governed by a divergence between school costs and network costs where a school located. Then, the author modified theory of social cost for broadband (Atkinson, 2007) into school cost. Externalities occur when an action of a regional school affects other schools without compensation being paid or received. In a competitive equilibrium with the presence of costs that do not accrue to the individual school, the competitive network markets alone will not achieve optimal outcome. The presence of positive externalities often means absence of intervention to existing use in ICT education. If a school only take into account their own benefits from subscribing to broadband, network market (private or public supplier) will end up at expenditure Ep and quantity Qp (see Figure 3).
Those services are frequently hard to be accepted by urban and rural schools, because service and price is strongly affected to their geographical difficulties or isolation. Then, they should select practical but insufficient access to Internet. However, if a school conducts positive external activities via cyberspace over restrictions of geographic restrictions, benefits spill over to the other institutions. Then, the broadband demand curve shifts to the right. The supply of broadband should then be increased as long as the marginal benefit exceeds the marginal cost of activities including externalities. In this case, the optimal supply of broadband is at expenditure Es and quantity Qs.
Figure 3: Supply and Demand for Broadband with Positive Externalities (applied from Atkinson, 2007)
However, absent proactive school strategies of ICT in education, a (private or public) network provider will undersupply broadband at point Qp, instead of the move efficient point Qs.
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The issue of externalities in the use of broadband at schools has been the heart of the arguments for rural schools in South-East Asian countries. So far, the author conducted a study that shows significant externalities from broadband that could not be led by market forces alone.
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3. EXECUTION OF WIRELESSNETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE
The pilot study challenged to examine the effects of the long WiFi link in south rural region of Thailand and to promote ICT education of rural schools (see Figure 4). The core center in Walailak University that is a direct node of the national university network (UniNet) served broadband by robust long WiFi equipment to rural schools.
Figure 4: Broadband Links in Rural Schools
Here, the system employed 54 Mbps of 802.11g with IP over power supplied, and Japan originated installation technique could bridge a remote school over long distance (Max 50 km/hop, Figure 5).
Figure 5: Long Wireless Link System
On the other side, the web-conference server, MeetingPlaza, from NTT-IT was installed at TCU on the heart of UniNet in Bangkok for the initial broadband adoption, and its location advantage enabled smooth connection to everywhere in the world. Also, its http tunneling function serves reliable connections even from behind strong firewall of universities (see sample, Figure 6). Because, in a recent study, broadband access was more related to taking online classes for credit in rural than in urban locations (Horrigan and Murray, 2006).
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Figure 6: Web Conference between Japan and Thailand
3.1. PEOJECT SITES
The following data are examined pilot secondary schools in the project, and here, indicators for valuing ICT in education offered by UNESCO were used (UNESCO, 2008).
Table 3: Global and Regional Indicators on ICT in Education by UNESCO
Table 4 shows details of definition in educational level offered by UNESCO(UNESCO, 1997). In our pilot study, execution activities were seen in comprehensive ISCED level 2-5 (see Table 4 below).
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Table 4: International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED); UNESCO Name of the Proxy criteria for contents Code Complementary dimensions level Main criteria Subsidiary criteria Educational properties Staff qualification Pre-primary None School or centre-based education 0 Minimum age Upper age limit Beginning of systematic Entry into the nationally Primary None apprenticeship of designated primary institutions education 1 reading, writingand or programmes First stage of mathematics Start of compulsory education basic education Subject presentation Entry after some 6 years of Lower Type of subsequent education or Full implementation of primary education secondary destination basic skills and End of the cycle after 9 years education Programme orientation foundation for lifelong since the beginning of primary Second stage of learning education basic education 2 End of compulsory education Several teachers conduct classes in their field of specialization Typical entrance (Upper) Type of subsequent education or qualification secondary destination Minimum entrance education 3 Programme orientation requirement Cumulative duration since the beginning of ISCED level 3 Entrance requirement, Post-secondary Type of subsequent education or Content, non tertiary destination Age, education 4 Cumulative duration since the Duration beginning of ISCED level 3 Programme orientation Minimum entrance First stage of Type of programmes requirement, tertiary Cumulative theoretical duration at Type of certification education (not tertiary obtained, leading directly 5 National degree and qualification Duration to an advanced structure research qualification) Research oriented Prepare graduates for faculty Second stage of None content, and research posts tertiary Submission of thesis or education dissertation (leading to an 6 advanced research qualification)
According to the indicators, initial situation of pilot schools could be viewed as below.
Table 5: Situation of Pilot Schools by UNESCO and ADS Indicators Requiring Bandwidth ED6 ED7 ED9 of ADS2006 Benjamarachutit Nakhon Si DSL, 200PCs 100% 50% 120Mbps Thammarat School* Chulaphone DSL, 400PCs 100% 100% 40Mbps School**
Notice) * from Interviews, ** from QTQTB (details are seen in 3.2 below)
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There are both leading schools in the region, and the most of graduate students can admit to major universities.
Chulaphone school has students’ dormitory and almost half of their students (450) are living inside school campus. The school also serve PC and Internet in the dormitories. Then, the installation of broadband is possible to reach not only lesson improvement, but also communication through ICT with broadband.
3.2. METHODS
Throughout the period, we used the following method for our inquiry.
¨ Reconnaissance
Field study was conducted as the following schedule. Triangulation techniques were used frequently to confirm observed events.
Unfortunately, APT project could not cover the cost of pre-scheduled “before inquiry study”, so TCU and Chiba University undertook to conduct a substitute study.
Table 6: Reconnaissance term descriptions remarks Baseline Selecting pilot Based on requirement to install Nov. 2007 Study schools for the study wireless system Feb. 2007 Before broadband Benjamarachutit Nakhon Si Thammarat school had entered vacation Before inquiry Both schools closed lessons Inquiry Study June 2008 In-service Investigation of computer lessons * enhancement Endline Study Aug. 2008 Investigation of confirmed effects
Notice) * As a study initiated by TCU, data are referred from TCU study
¨ Questionnaires
Three types of questionnaires were developed by Chiba University. These are composed by both Thai and English version. Thai version was used across the pilot schools.
Items were considerably selected by reviewing preceding ICT in education studies in Japan, and also including other consideration to worldwide indicators.
In addition, potential factors that emerge during transition from Web1.0 to Web2.0 were embedded inside.
Sheet was configured mainly asking to check marks out.
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Table 7: Developed Questionnaire
questionnaire target Valid number remarks QTQT(Quantitative teacher 2 This is used to know overall situation of ICT facility, Questionnaire for equipment and man power of pilot schools. And it was Teachers) asked to fill one copy for each pilot school by ICT administrative. QLQ(Qualitative teachers/st before 85 This is used to know self-recognized feelings and images in Questionnaire) udents after 47 terms of ICT education of related persons (teachers and students). It includes items of experiences in education with ICT, settings and environment of ICT education, management ways of e-Learning, experience of attending literacy training, experience of DE, and favorable web sites. Here, the author also intended to ask their preferable human communication styles through ICT. QTQ(Quantitative teachers/st before 85 This is used to know fundamental situation of related Questionnaire) udents after 47 persons (teachers and students) in terms of ICT usage and activities. It also includes items for asking ICT situation of their daily life. Here, important items are embed that concern selection of communication media, selection of information media, and purposes to access Internet. Items are also concentrated to find emerging ICT usage in cyberspace, such as e-Learning.
¨ Case Collection
Chiba university developed a case record sheet, namely QLC (Qualitative Sheet for Cases), and it includes case background, case descriptions, situational setting, and derivation. It is easy to introduce gathered data into the case based study.
So far, the author could gather 16 available cases from pilot schools as remarkable cases that sprout from broadband installation. The cases exclude daily subject lessons and include use of teachers.
¨ Interviews
QLI (Qualitative Inquiry by Interview) was done frequently during reconnaissance. This QLI was mainly conducted with in-service teachers and their subject groups, and set target on to inquire domain specific matters that effected on ICT enhancement, lesson management, and/or school management.
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4. FINDINGS
¨ Initial Effects of Broadband
In the project, reflector server of Web conference system; Meeting Plaza, was installed. It allows frequent video conference communication over distance. In addition, its beneficial position, namely the center of UniNet, enables to offer multi national sites conference with a foreign educational institution.
For the user side, system does not require any specific equipment or facility. Then, the effect can extend to all educational institutions under UniNet.
As a fact finding, we conduct an in-service training from Japan with combination with an institution in Bangkok on 24th, June.
The training lesson executed had the following characteristics.
1) It was composed by 5 learning themes of science experiment.
2) Each section has 5 sections, that is “introduction, watching video, questions, discussion, advice, and summary.”
3) In “watching video”, educational short programs that developed by NHK were used for confirming quality of video transmission.
Figure 7: Scene of Training Video
4) Thai language was used across the conference.
5) 640x480dots quality was used to transfer video streaming from Japan.
Figure 8: Studio Training System in Chiba University
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It needs at least 350Kbps for one video streaming. Then in this conference configuration, we need at least 1Mbps continuous bandwidth during the training. At “before inquiry study”, we confirmed that it is possible to maintain more than 3Mbps continuous bandwidth to Japan. Although there was strong squall during Web conference, there is no substantial interference during the training.
Effects were valued by specially arranged interview method, and brief summary was seen in Table 8 below.
Figure 9: Satellite Training Room in Chulaphone School
Table 8: Results of Interviews of In-service Teachers item answer As in-service It was a good chance to have meaning discussion with Thai language. training course As student lesson Contents can be used for subject lesson to students. Even international content, materials training was executed clearly and comprehensive. Quality of video Clear video, easy to recognize video with understandable. (see record Figure 10) Situation of teacher Lack of materials for teachers and video materials materials Outside experts They had an experience to attend in-service course outside the school. They also had an experience to go Bangkok to attend training at a training center, but there is no periodical in-service training. Handmade video Yes. There is limitation of time, then school asks outsourcing to develop video materials.
Figure 10: Conference View Record in Chulaphone School
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¨ Broadband in Education
Usage of Internet of students in schools were increased significantly after broadband installation from 2.8 hours/week to 4.0 hours/week. This effect was mainly because of expansion of ICT in lessons, and overt change was seen in
- Social Science: changed from 24% to 46%
- Music: changed from 31% to 63%
- Art and Industrial Art: changed from 3% to 33%
* Experience to attend ICT mediated lessons
On the other side, students’ experience to attend e-Learning lesson was stable (before 77%, after 79%). However, we could confirmed from QLQ that usage of e-Learning had been expanded to
- e-Learning in a classroom lesson (before 20%, after 53%) (see Figure 11 below).
- Use e-learning of other school (before 3%, after 27%).
Related subjects were Science and Foreign Language.
Evaluation of students for effects on e-Learning was stable between before and after, and both showed “rather strong effect.”
As variety of factors to evaluate effects of e-Learning, students showed identical changes in evaluation points.
- to get credit (before 28%, after 57%)
- rich services of supports (before 17%, after 38%)
- communication board for students (before 20%, after 43%)
Figure 11: e-Learning in a lesson, Benjamarachutit Nakhon Si Thammarat School
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¨ Change of Access Web
In QLQ, the author especially arranged some items to value the use of Web 2.0. As results, colored rows in Table 9 shows the overt changes in students’ use.
Table 9: Changes of Students’ Favorite Web Site (%) Web site name before after MySpace 15 42 Wikipedia 10 33 Google search 68 64 Second Life 12 15 Amazon 15 15 Site of online game 15 15 Site of Tags (e.g. de.icio.us, digg) 0 22 Portal site (e.g. yahoo, msn) 34 38 Music site (e.g. imeem) 23 42 Video sharing site (e.g.YouTube, 32 45 Dailymotion) Internet TV (on demand TV) 33 30 Site for children 0 22 Blog site (e.g. LiVEJOURNAL, Blogger) 0 25 Message board 22 30 Q&A site 0 21 Photo sharing site (e.g. Flickr, photobucket) 13 28 Friend search site (e.g. Hi5, orkut, 37 44 friendster) Auction site (e.g. eBay) 0 31 Profile introduction site (e.g. Facebook) 0 20 File transfer & share site (e.g. RapidShare, 0 26 Megaupload)
It can be assumed that the immediate effects of broadband is seen in expanding modality, such as streaming video, bulk pictures or sound download in the front, but actual change came in expanding communication.
Remarkable change was “site for children,””blog,””Q&A site,””auction,””profile,”and “file share.” These sites was unknown at the beginning, but gradually disseminated after the project. Dissemination rate is still low, but the movement would quite clear, if we compare this with stable use of “google.”
¨ Change of Learning
In both schools, they expanded services for students to use Internet. Particularly, they offered facility for personal use of PC. From the record of Benjamarachutit Nakhon Si Thammarat school, there were totally 700
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personal students use broadband during 28 days. It means 25 students/day use broadband for their personal activities.
Figure 12: Self-initiated Learning by Internet, Benchama School
¨ Effects on Communication Style in Life
The change of communication style of students was investigated by QLQ. The question items were arranged to ask four major communication ways, that is
1) F2F: to meet directly and talk
2) Phone: to talk with house or mobile phone
3) e-mail: send e-mail
4) Web: to communicate with discussion board, web board, SNS, or blog.
In addition, seven communication needs were presented to investigate their selections.
F2F 100 For enjoy it 80 60 When I have an urgent need to know 40 When I need to know 20 something, but not urgent Web 0 Phone When I have a trouble and consultation To get information to purchase To talk with my friend
To talk with un-known person e-mail
Figure 13：Use of ICT in Daily Life (%)
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Figure 13 shows selection of students, and it can be found that there is still high rate of communication in direct meeting. Notable point would be the rather high selection (29%) seen in “to talk with un-known person.” Also, it is skeptically seen in “when I have a trouble and need to be consulted.” 39% of students selected surprisingly to use Web communication.
When we compare the results with data gathered in Japan (see Figure 14) (MIC, 2007), there is mysterious behavior of selection in Thai students.
Figure 14: Selection of Japanese (items order is same as Figure 13)
¨ Broadband for Future Life
From there result of QTQ in endline study, students answered the following opinions (see Figure 15 below) to their future. However, the author confirmed at reconnaissance of endline study that only 4.2% of graduates of both schools were selected computer related major in their university entrance.
This strong contradiction between 45% on questionnaire and 4.2% on actual carrier admission should be discussed more to argue true effects of ICT in education.
I don’t want to use ICT in my future daily life
I want to install ICT infrastructure in my future house
I don’t want to use ICT in my future job
I want to use ICT in my future job
I want to work at an ICT company
I want to organize an ICT company
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Figure 15: Answer of Future Carrier Selection of Students
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This is closely related with an indicator on ICT of UNESCO where the following model questions were seen in ED8.
4.1. EXTERNALITIES
Externalities were designed by coordinating recruitment activities of some universities, where pilot schools received incentive distance courses for students. Students got beneficial lesson for university entrance exam or pre- credited courses that were inclusive after their entrance. Broadband were supplied as a branch of UniNet and supported by a university with free of charge. The pilot rural schools were wired to internationally more than any other schools in the country due to UniNet has strongest International connection.
From the result of QLC, there were five actual activities reported to use broadband where schools communicate with outside institutions.
Case1-3: Students’ self-initiated learning by accessing Web course for science subjects developed by Prince of Songkla University.
Case4,5: Students’ self-initiated learning by accessing e-Learning course for ICT developed by Institute for Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology.
4.2. PRODUCTS
As the social contribution of APT project, so far the author could publish the following academic products.
Yoshida, M. (2008, July), Externalities for New Mode of Education with Broadband in Rural Schools, Paper presented at Session for Information and Communication Technology, ICT Education, 8th ASEAN Science and Technology Week (ASTW) conference, Manila: Philippines, July 3-4 (Presentation on 4th), Proceedings (CD-ROM)
Yoshida, M. and Pengtham, P. (2008, Sep.), Effects of In-service Training for Foreign Science Teachers by Using Educational Videos via a Web Conference System, Paper presented at conference of Japan Society of Educational Technology, now on printing
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Pengtham, P. and Yoshida, M.(2008, Sep.), Effects of International Live Videoconferencing for a Japanese Language Training, Paper presented at conference of Japan Society of Educational Technology, now on printing
5. CONCLUSION
Power of IT globalization led a flat-world platform that consisted of the convergence of PC, broadband, and work-flow software (Friedman, 2005). Friedman, a writer of “the world is flat,” also mentioned the movement of this globalization from organization level to individual level, and this direction is also seen across this article.
In addition, to know feasible externalities, discussion of meaning and actual actions of supply chain through cyberspace for future education is especially important as well as principles of student’s learning.
However South-East Asian counties encounter still infrastructure gap in rural area on per capita broadband deployment, we can imagine that even a PC in rural has ability of remote control a PC (e.g. virtual network computing) located in super-high-speed and low price network in a foreign country. Thus, globalization in ICT enables to deduce a creative idea that could not consider at a rural school in real world. Syndication, cooperation, affiliation and joint activities would be keys to expand externalities of a school.
Even the sophisticated NGN means originally replacing house telephones and incorporation of mobile phone networks. Then, bandwidth and congestion problems are moving forward with plans by spreading installation and opening up the rules of telecommunication. Also, Increasing broadband competition will improve the connectivity.
At present situation, rural residences have less choice than urban to access the Internet. Then, the author proactively tried to serve broadband in the case shown in this article. Here, the author intended that students in pilot schools to show factors to become enthusiastic adopters.
In this article, the author does not mention about WiMax that is expected as potential broadband infrastructure in rural, because WiMax is under strongly regulated by law in many counties. As a matter of fact, WiMax is effective to deploy broadband commercially, but the consumer based technology; WiFi, of without telecommunication screening could explicitly clarify the importance of comprehensive externalities, and this affordable method leaded quite active attitude across related people as well.
6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author would also like to acknowledge the helpful assistance on a distance education trial of Ms. Piyawan Pengtham, a research student of Chiba university, faculty of education.
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7. REFERENCES
Atkinson, R. D. (2007) Framing A National Broadband Policy (Vol. 16, pp. 145): CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA. Bell, P., Reddy, P., and Rainie, L. (2004) Rural Americans' Internet use has grown but they continue to lag behind others. Pew Internet & American Life. Retrieved September, Vol. 18, p. 2005. Buchanan, B. (2003) The Broadband Buzz. American School Board Journal, Vol. 190, No. 9, pp. 38-40. Friedman, T. (2005) The World is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century. Greaves, T., & Hayes, J. (2006) American’s digital schools 2006: A 5 year foreast.: Greaves Group and Hayes Connection. Hayashi, M. (2008, March, 20) Does society change by NGN? (2) Education case. Retrieved July, 8, 2008, from blogs.itmedia.co.jp/business20/2008/03/ngn---3049.html Henke, K. G. (2007) How Fast Is Fast Enough? Technology & Learning, Vol. 28, No. 3, p. 16. Horrigan, J., and Murray, K. (2006) Rural Broadband Internet Use. Pew Internet & American Life Project, p. 1. Hudson, H. E. (2004) Universal access: what have we learned from the E- rate? Telecommunications Policy, Vol. 28, No. 3-4, pp. 309-321. ITU-T (2001) General Overview of NGN: International Telecommunication Union. MIC (2005) Diffusion of broadband access. from www.soumu.go.jp/hakusyo/tsushin/h13/html/D1112000.htm MIC (2007) Survey of Information and Technology: MIC. O'Reilly, T. (2005) What Is Web 2.0. Retrieved June, 8, 2008, from www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web- 20.html OECD (2006) 2006 OECD Broadband Statistics report. Retrieved June, 8, 2008, from www.oecd.org/document/7/0,3343,en_2649_34223_38446855_1_1_1_ 1,00.html OECD (2007) OECD Communication Outlook 2007. Retrieved June, 8, 2008, from www.oecd.org/document/17/0,3343,de_2649_201185_38876369_1_1_ 1_1,00.html Patel, N. (2008) FCC redefines "broadband" to mean 768Kbps, "fast" to mean "kinda slow". Retrieved June, 8, 2008, from www.engadget.com/2008/03/19/fcc-redefines-broadband-to-mean- 768kbps-fast-to-mean-kinda/ Ruth, S., and Pizzato, A. (2007) Is the World Still Flat? An Update. Internet Computing, IEEE, Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 77-81. UNESCO (1997) International Standard Classification of Education. ISCD1997. Retrieved UNESCO, from www.unesco.org/education/information/nfsunesco/doc/isced_1997.htm UNESCO (2008) Proposal for Internationally Comparable Core Indicators in ICTs in Education: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Montreal: Canada.
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Watts, M., and Lloyd, C. (2004) The Use of Innovative ICT in the Active Pursuit of Literacy. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 50-58. Yoshida, M. (2006, July 27) Challenging Effective Mega-Student Training through Online. Paper presented at the The National Conference on e- learning, the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center; Bangkok, Thailand. Yoshida, M. (2007, 27-28 Sep) Emerging Innovative Network Technology and Change of Online Education. Paper presented at the ICT Summit 2007. 5th Summit in Information and Communication Technologies, Tashkent: Uzbekistan.
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